updated 10:39 am EST, Fri January 18, 2013

Beijing rumor wrong, source suggests

Apple will announce the opening of a Chinese research and development center this summer, but it will be based in Pudong, Shanghai, a source tells CNET China. Pictures supplied by the source identify a target complex as three six-story buildings, making for a combined floor space of 10,000 square meters, or about 107,639 square feet. Apple allegedly started planning the R&D center about six to seven years ago; once the company moves in rent is expected to hit 50 million yuan per year, or roughly $8.04 million.

CNET dismisses a Tencent report that the R&D facility will be going up in Beijing. Notably, Apple CEO Tim Cook is himself said to have mentioned Beijing R&D plans to the city's acting mayor, Wang Anshun. It would however be improbable for Apple to start two R&D centers at the same time in the same country.

Ugh - these companies enjoy the stability of being headquartered in the U.S. but move their manufacturing and now their r&d to other countries. Was Apple's announcement about building iMacs in the U.S. just throwing a bone knowing that this was coming down the pike?

Ugh - these companies enjoy the stability of being headquartered in the U.S. but move their manufacturing and now their r&d to other countries. Was Apple's announcement about building iMacs in the U.S. just throwing a bone knowing that this was coming down the pike?

For years people are saying Apple should bring manufacturing back to the US. Now that Apple's China sales are approaching US, it seems the US is becoming less relevant. Why should Apple bring anything "back to the US"?

more cheap labor and at a head start when china leave US in the dust. Thanks crApple, you back stabbing corporate citizen!! Boycott crApple, they forecast that china will be the NEW US... and we will be just another third world country..